Cameras using solid state image devices, such as charge-coupled devices (CCDs) and complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, have been rapidly distributed.
Pixel integration degree of the solid state image devices has increased so as to increase the resolution of the cameras. Also, the cameras have been rapidly made compact and light due to the improvement in performance of lens optical systems built in the cameras.
In a general lens optical system of a small camera, a large number of lenses as many as at least four are used to ensure improved performance of the lens optical system, for example, in terms of a large angle of view and aberration correction. Nevertheless, when the lens optical system includes many lenses, this may help widen an angle of view and correct abbreviation, but may hinder making the camera compact and light, leading to increased manufacture and product costs. Accordingly, using a large number of lenses only for improved performance is not practical.
A lens optical system used in an existing camera phone normally has an angle of view of from about 60° to about 63°.